Apparatus for cutting soap into bars



J. A. SCHWANTES.

APPARATUS FOR CUTTING SOAP INTO BARS Filed April 5, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet1 57 INVENTOR.

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May 8, 1923;

Filed April 5. 1922. 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

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Patented May 8, 1923.

UNHTEE? STATES' JULIUS A. SGHWANTES, or MILWAUKEE,WISCONSI1\T, AssIenoaTO THE PALMOLIVE COMPANY, or MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A oonroan'rron orWisconsin.

APPARATUS FOR CUTTING SOAP INTO BARS.

- Application filed April 3, 1922. Serial No. 549,313.

. To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JULIUS A. SGHWANTES, a citizen of the United States,and resident of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State ofWisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for.Cutting Soap into Bars, of which the following is a description,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are a part ofthis specification.

This invention relates to an electrically operated device for cuttingsoap into bars which is preliminary to a further operation whereby theyare cut into cakes.

This invention has for its object to provide a device of this type whichwill automatically sever the continuous bar of soap fed through thedevice into pieces of the proper length, the device being furthermorecapable of adjustment whereby the length of the pieces cut may be variedwithin certain limits.

With this object in mind the invention consists in the novelconstruction and arrangement of parts which will hereinafter be morefully described and illustrated.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a machinefor forming the soap in a continuous rectangular bar,,with this improvedinvention attached thereto.

Fig. 2 is an end view of the attachment.

Fig. 3 is "an enlarged longitudinal section taken on the plane indicatedby line 3-3 of Fig. 2. I

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view of the'electrical connections employed.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings wherein like referencecharacters represent like parts, the reference character 10 designates aportion of a machine for forming the soap into a continuous rectangularbar, which is ejected from the end thereof onto the support composed ofrollers 11. v

. Referring to Fig. 2 wherein the discharge opening of the. machine 10is indicated by the reference character 12, the position of thedevice'forming the subject matter of this present invention will bedisclosed. Secured core 17.

adjacent the discharge opening 12 (see also Fig. 3) is a frame 13providedwith bearing members 14 which slidably support bars 15.

Also secured to the machine .10 are two solenolds 16 provided with ironcores 17, the windings of the solenoid being indicated at .18. The ironcores 17 are extended through the end of the solenoid 16 and havemounted thereon coiled springs 19 which engage on one hand against theend of the solenoid 16, and on the other hand against a cap or the like20 secured to the outer end of the The other end of each core 17 isprovided with a head 21 formed with an inclined bear ing surface whichengages'aroller 22 rota-- tably mounted on the adjacent end of the bar15. A spring 23 connected respectively to the core 17 and the bar 15keeps the rolle 22 in engagement with the head 21. I

To the end of each bar 15 adjacent the discharge opening 12 of the soapmachine there is pivotally journaled a knife 24, the pivot shaft ofwhich carries a coiled spring 25 which tends to holdthe knife 24 in theposition illustrated in Fig. 3, that is in-engagement with a projection26 formed onthe bar 15. The pivoted knives when operated funcframe 13are positioned adjacent the sides of the discharge opening 12, wherebythe ejection of the bar of soap is facilitated.

The, knives 24 will be drawn toward one another to sever the bar of soapinto pieces of suitable length when the solenoidwindings 18 areenergized and the cores 17 longitudinally displaced. For accomplishingthis there is provided a control device comprising a bar 29 pivoted tothe arm 30 at 31.

bar carries a stationary contact 32 eninto its path of travel.

gageable by a contact 33 carried by a pivoted arm 34. The pivoted arm 34projects upwardly into the path of the bar of soap S. A coiled spring 35maintains the pivoted arm 34 in its spaced position. The lower end ofthe pivoted bar 29 has a sliding corn tact, as at 36, with a terminalmember 37 to which one of the circuit wires 38 is connected. The circuittherefore is maintained as longas the sliding Contact 36 engages theterminal member 37 and the circuit will be broken when this memberslides off the. end of the terminal member 37. The pivoted lever 29 isrocked by engagement of the bar of soap with the arm 34 which projectsThe other circuit wire is indicated by the reference character '39.-

The switch members thus far described are the auxiliary or supplementalswitches -=aiid control the current to the main switch 'gized whiletheysoap is being out.

which is contained in the oil tank 40. The

switch arm. 41 pivoted therein is attracted by an electromagnet 42whereupon the contacts 43 -are closed, these contacts being immersed inoil. is energized and the contacts '43 closed thehen the electromagnet42 circuit to the solenoids 16 will be complete and the knives 24'movedto cut thebar of soap. Connection witha suitable source of current maybe controlled by ahand switch broken when the sliding contact 36 movesoff 'the terminal member 37 When the contact 'members 32 and 33 engage,the electromagnet 42 is energi-zedand remains ener' When the contacts 36and 37 are disengaged, the circuit to the'magnet42 is broken and hencethe springs are'rpermitted to return the knives or blades to theiroriginal position.

By providing means for energizing the magnet which holds the main switchclosed, theoper'ation of the knives does not depend solely upon acontinued engagement of the contacts 32 and 33.

For-regulating the length f the pieces of soap to be out the arm 30 isadjustably supported in a bracket45' depending from 'the machine. Theadjusting bolt 46 thre'aded into the end of the arm 30 enables the sametobe'moved horizontally thereby positioning the arm 34 variabledistances from the' discharge' opening 12 of the soap machine.Therefore, the time at which the "end of thebar of soap engages theswitch arm 34 maybe regulated.

"In practice after the bar of soap has been cut'fiinto pieces of thedesired length it is removed from the machine and out into smaller cakesby means of wire cutters. Obviously, therefore, the size of the piecesof soap cut by this device must be accurately gauged so that the smallercakes out by the wire cutters will be uniform.

While one constructional example of this invention isillustratedherein'it is not intended to limit this invention to thedetails of construction shown, but reservation is hereby made to makesuch changes and modifications as may come within the purview of theaccompanying claims.

Having thus described the invention what is'cla-im'ed is:

1. In a device of the class described, a pair of reciprocating knives,electrically actuated meansfor reciprocating said knives,

a double switch for controllin said electrical means, said double switch"being'op- -e'rated--=bythe material 'to' 'be out for successivelycompleting and breaking the"cir c'uit including said electrical means.

2. In adevice for suc'c essi'vely severing a continuous bar of soapinto-pieces'of uniform length, a pair of reciprocating knivesj' solenoidmeans for recipro'c'atingsaid knives, and ado'uble switch engageable bythe'bar of soap for causing successively an energization andde-energization of said solenoids.

'3. In ade'vice for successively severing a continuousbar of soap intopieces of uniform length, a pair of knives, solenoid controlled meansfor reciprocating said knives, said knives being pivot'ally mounted toswing with the-soap as it progresses, 'an

electric circuit including said solenoids, and

means for closing said circuitembodying a pivoted contact arm disposedin the path of the bar of soap and operated thereby,

4. The co mbinationwith a machine of the class described, of a devicefor successively severing a continuousbar ofsoap'in'to pieces of uniformlength, said device comprising a pair of knives disposed adjacent thedischarge end of said m'achine, bars pivotally supporting said knives,solenoids'a'provided with extended cores, -'springs1 surrounding saidcores for retaining the same in a :retracted position, means connectingf'said 'cores'to said bars, an electric circuit including said solenoids,and'apivoted contact bar provided with a pair of coiitacts and a prisinga pair of knives, bars pivotally supporting said knives, solenoidsprovided with cores havlng extensions thereon, resilient meansconnecting saidcores tosaid bars,

an electric circuit including said solenoids, a pivoted contact bar, anadjustable arm supporting said pivoted contact bar, a pair of contactscarried by said bar and a Sliding contact carried by said bar, said barbeing provided with a Contact arm pro- 5 jecting into the path of thebar of soap, a main switch contained in an oil tank, an electromagnetfor keeping said main switch closed, said contact bar and main switchbeing included in said circuit whereby said solenoids may beperiodically energized,

ture.

JULIUS A. SCHWANTES.

